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Do you archive your mead?

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mmclean said:
Posted by thelaw,
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I have read many a similar story, and I have no doubt whatsoever that time can allow a foul tasting mead to become great.

Again, I don't have any doubts about that at all.

I am more curious to now if someone tastes a good mead at 2-5 years, and then it becomes an exceptional mead at 5+.
 
Maybe the problem is getting "good" mead to last five years. ;D

I have read that "most" meads improve up to 5 years. Not much about beyond. But does it really? Or does it just not start to go bad before 5 yrs?

I hope some people posts with some personal stories.

My plan is to brew some large batches each year (10, 15, maybe 20 gallons)and archive some so that I have a steady supply of 5 yr old mead.

Not much point in waiting if it's not improving.
 
chiguire said:
Nice! How did the year old nutmeg ginger turn out?
.
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It came out really good after all. When I put the recipe together, I'm pretty sure (it's the only recipe I've ever lost the notes for.. luckily it was a simple recipe and the amounts could be approximated) I dosed the crap out of it with ginger root. -it was like ginger rocket fuel for a good solid year.

Eventually, the aging got easier and easier..as I moved from apt to apt, making the decision to keep the mead elsewhere much easier as well. I doubt any of the currently aging/degassing/about-to-be-racked batches have a prayer of seeing 5 years.
 
chiguire said:
I am more curious to now if someone tastes a good mead at 2-5 years, and then it becomes an exceptional mead at 5+.
Click to expand...

If you look back into Ken Schramm's book, he talks about how Brother Adam, famed mazer and beekeeper of Buckfast Abbey, believed in oak barrel aging every style he made (4 if I remember correctly) for no less than 7 years, sometimes longer. I believe Ken also speculates that there is no reason it couldn't be stored for decades. However, I think it's telling that all this aging is done in bulk. Perhaps that 2-5 year peak applies to bottle aged mead?

I can't wait to try...just have to hold off drinking everything I brew... :)
 
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